Gary Reinbach began drinking as an 11 year old and drank
heavily from the age of 13. Near the end of his life, prior to his admittance
at University College Hospital London, the 22 year old drank a large bottle of
vodka daily.

Ten weeks ago, persistent vomiting brought him to hospital,
where doctors diagnosed advanced cirrhosis of the liver and predicted that without a new liver, the young man had only weeks to live. Problematicaly, the National Health System (NHS) Blood and Transplant will not
provide a liver for any patient until he or she can prove 6 months of out of hospital
abstinence from alcohol.

Reinbach was skipping school by the age of 13 to drink
bottles of cider in the park with friends. By the age of 16 he had left school
and graduated to liquor and harder beers. Although he attended some alcoholics
anonymous meetings near the end of his life, his worsening health precluded him
from leaving the hospital and so he was unable to prove to the transplant board of
his ability to abstain from alcohol outside of a hospital environment.
Additionally, his rapid demise (just 10 weeks from diagnosis to death) left him
no opportunity to meet the 6 month minimum abstention guideline for transplant.

On the last days of his life, Reinbach begged doctors to no
avail for a transplant liver.

Reinbach stopped breathing on his own 2 days ago
and died yesterday, after doctors removed life support machinery.

In a statement, the NHS said "This case highlights the
dilemma doctors face because of the shortage of donated organs. They have to
make tough decisions about who is going to get the benefit and who is going to
take best care of this precious gift."

Sarah Mathews, of the British Liver Trust, explained that although
a 22 year old cirrhotic patient was, “a difficult situation” that transplant
rules are quite strict.

The British public health group, Alcohol Concern, has called for
more research on the effects of alcohol on adolescent health. An Alcohol Concern
spokesperson commented on Reinbach’s tragic death, saying, “The case doesn't
surprise us at all, sadly. Statistics show that more people are getting liver
disease in their 30s and if more teenagers are drinking people will become
seriously ill at a younger age."